1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and techniques that enable general purpose applications of audio and video data documentation, recording, retrieval, transmission, organization and management. The present invention further relates to the data processing of information contained in human voice communications by means of portable electronic equipment.
2. Description of Prior Art
There has been a long felt need to provide data processing and transmission capabilities with an easily operable and portable means. This is supported by an analysis of both the commercial successes of bar code reading systems, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) offerings, and digital organizers, and of new design trends in the areas of voice recording and audio data organizing devices.
Bar code reading hardware can be quite compact, but has an extremely narrow scope of application. As bar code reading requires the prior labeling of an object with a very specific data coding protocol, these systems have not to date been effectively used as efficient and general purpose data recording devices.
PDA's are typically palm-sized digital electronics devices which use a touch screen and a light sensitive stylus, or pen, for data display and pen based data input. Touch screens used with pen-like devices for character input are diminished in usefulness by time delays in character interpretation and high error rates. In addition, the ability and willingness of the user to handwrite characters consistently legible to the system software is a barrier to widespread acceptance of this technology.
Pen based data input systems require significant investment in operator training time. Most commercially available pen based systems are designed to learn and best recognize the handwriting characteristic of only one designated operator. This approach, though improving system efficiency, results in the highly personalized hardware sets that are of limited flexibility.
Digital data organizers require the operator to input data via an alphanumeric keyboard. As such, size reduction of these devices is inhibited by the need to present a surface area sufficient to allow for rapid selection of a large number of keys. Pocket sized models in particular can be very awkward to use. Most digital data organizers cannot be used safely during a wide variety of common daily activities, such as operating heavy equipment or driving a car.
Micro-cassette recorders are widely used as dictation machines. Most current designs allow for one handed operation, which allows for convenient use in many situations. Data, however, is recorded sequentially, and usually recovered by time consuming and inefficient retrieval functions. Some micro-cassettes record data with digital data storage means and/or index voice data to allow pseudo-random access. In these cases, however, access speed remains limited by the speed of the tape mechanism.
Digital voice organizer design directions offer the most promise in convenient, possibly even hands-free, operation of portable audio data processing equipment developments. Voice Powered Technology currently offers for sale a Voice Organizer product that uses voice recognition technology to organize audio data input. This system is advertised to support up to 99 separate verbal messages and 400 phone number records. The Voice Organizer is described in promotional literature to be able to relate specific names to specific phone numbers using only voice recognition methods.
Norris Communications has also recently developed a digital audio recording device. Marketed under the model name Flashback, this system is able to download digital representations of voice recordings as sound files to PDA's and PCMCIA compatible equipment. The Flashback uses flash memory chips for audio data storage, that retain stored data values during power-off states.
Norris Communications has published its intention to eventually provide data exchange between future Flashback models and personal computers and PDA's. This connectivity will be available through PCMCIA media and direct infrared data transmission.
A review of the patent record of related prior art especially shows numerous attempts to provide improved methods and devices for the management and processing of recorded audio data.
Schroeder et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,052, Mar. 23, 1993) describes the integration of dictation system with a digital computer. The voice data is recorded in a simplistic manner, and is merely stored for later audio playback. No attempt at portability is discussed, and no further data processing operations are considered.
Micic et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,289, Feb. 27, 1990) disclose the storage of digitized audio signals in read only memory (ROM). The focus of implementation of the invention of Micic et al is to avoid the necessity of mechanically moving components of the audio playback system.
Ellermeier (U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,571, Aug. 10, 1993) presents an ergonomically improved dictation machine control lever design. The proposed design is held within one hand, and is intended to be comfortably used for long periods of time. Operator comfort is the advantage considered by the invention of Ellermeier. Audio data processing capabilities and improvements are not addressed.
No related prior art attempts to provide a portable means to record, organize, and transmit voice data into a personal computer for conversion to text representation within a pre-formatted documentation process.
It is apparent from a thorough examination of the related prior art that conventional audio data acquisition systems are not designed to be efficiently used as means to transcribe spoken words into textual notations within digitally recorded documentary systems.
The introduction of a truly portable and easy to use audio data processing and management system would be beneficial in a wide variety of applications, to include inventory activities, insurance estimation, journalism, emergency services, and military and police operations.